#and the first one was inspired by Spiritfarer

[abaroo]

Various outfits for my baby boy Jeddah because I love him to bits

[tiniest-headcrab-art]

old water colour art dump! (Calling this post the 4 seasons bc that was basically the idea)

Wall-e piece! It's the first one I drew before me and my mum decided we needed 3 more to be the "four seasons"

Now in no particular order here's the rest

that character is Stella from Spiritfarer (awesome game btw I love it)

This one was actually inspired off of moomin trolls, altho I don't really know if I got the vibe down correctly

[xtrafluffyteddy]

Everdoor

spiritfarer!Johnny mactavish x spirit!Reader x spirit!Simon Riley

I’ve been playing spiritfarer and I got inspired, this is mostly from Johnnys pov, kinda bittersweet ending?

Being the new spiritfarer wasn’t an easy task but when Johnny was choosen for it he knew he could handle the weight and burden of having to cross over the many spirits still stuck in the ethereal plane “Johnny” the previous spiritfarer Price grumbles lowly, Soap was quick to look up at the large creature like man “yes sir?” He replied, “make me proud” was all Price said as he crossed over into the Everdoor.

“Okay Riley” johnny huffed as he looked down at the German Shepard by his side wagging its tail in happiness “let’s go help some spirits hm?” He smiled as Riley barked in reply reaching his large hand down to scratch behind the dogs ears before turning to his controls setting his navigation to some random island on the map.

That’s where he met the first spirit who would board his ship, standing before him was a very large cloaked figure at the end of the pier staring out into the vast nothingness “hello?” He called out causing the spirit to quickly snap towards him “who are you, how’d you get here, how’d you find me” the spirit shot off rapid questions already on guard “I’m Johnny but you can call me Soap I’m the newest spiritfarer” he reassured putting his hands up to show he’s harmless “my boat took me here I’m guessing to bring you aboard” the cloaked figure held an aura of distrust as it reluctantly followed Johnny to his ship.

Once the cloaked figure set foot on his ship it’s cloak immediately vanished leaving a very broad and tall man with a skull mask staring back at him “I’m Ghost” the spirit grunted as he looked at his new surroundings before digging around his pocket to give Johnny his obal

Days and weeks passed as Johnny upgraded his ship, helped other spirits cross over while Ghost remained never growing close to any of the other spirits, always sticking to himself only really talking to Johnny or playing with Riley. “Phew another spirit in the Everdoor I’m on a roll aren’t I” he grinned at Ghost who was sat in his own house that Johnny had built for him “you remind me of my old team” Ghost mumbles as he looks lost in thought “always ontop of things, always together” that’s all Ghost said for the rest of the day deciding that he just wanted to be alone worrying Johnny just a bit.

He couldn’t stay worried for long as he docked at a new island filled with cherry blossom trees and strawberry bushes which he quickly harvested as he made his way up towards the lone cabin at the very top of the hill. “Hello?” He called out to the cloaked figure sitting at the lone bench over looking the sea “hello?” He called out again as he made his way towards them “hello Spiritfarer” you say still not turning towards him “I’m guessing you’ve come to take me away from my home” you inquire turning slightly to look at the large man “only if your comfortable with that” he reassures “well I mean it’s time isn’t it I can’t cling to the past forever” with that he watches as you rise up take one last look at your home and follow him to the ship once onboard your cloak melts away revealing your form standing before the only other spirit on the ship and Johnny “it’s been so long since I’ve been around others” you snicker

The three of you were thick as thieves growing closer and closer as the days turned to weeks then months everything was well sure you’d had a few times where Johnny was worried because you were struggling against an unseen foe, or when ghost would have what he could only guess were ptsd flashbacks that caused him to be catatonic for days, the good times outweighed the bad in his eyes as long as you both remained happy then he would keep trying to make you both better.

“Johnny” Ghost said one day after Johnny had fed him his favorite food of beans and toast “I think it’s time Johnny” Soap felt his heart drop into his stomach he knew this day was coming but he would never be ready for it “I’m ready to go Johnny” ghost said as he placed a calloused hand on Johnnys warm cheek “you know what to do” Johnny nodded a sadness burying itself in his heart as he set his navigation to take him to the Everdoor

“I’m gonna miss you Simon” Johnny watched as you said your goodbyes to your beloved Ghost hugging him tightly and pressing a soft kiss to his cheeks then his lips only letting go of his hands as Ghost boarded the small boat that would take him to his final resting place “ready” Johnny questioned his voice thick with emotion “ready” Ghost reassured as he gently placed a hand on Johnnys knee giving him a smile behind his skull mask.

“I’m grateful for everything in my life” Ghostst began as Johnny continued to row “grateful for my team, for the tragedies, for meeting you and them” Ghost smiled as he took off his mask wanted to feel the breeze on his face one last time “I’ve done bad things, and at one point I was sure I was a villain but when you look at me it makes me want to be a better person” Johnny sniffs but keeps a strong composure “I've never deserved you anyway... But I've loved you, and that won't stop even if I'm not around anymore. The ones who really love you never really leave you, you know” Ghost reassured as they stop in front of the large door Johnny quickly rushing to pull ghost into a tight hug inhaling his strong scent “I love you Simon” Johnny murmured as Ghost rose above him disappearing in a burst of light

It was lonely without Ghost on the ship but things had to keep moving, Johnny continued helping spirits cross over while you remained unmoving wanting to stay by Johnnys side for as long as you can teaching him lessons on how to open up to people, to love, to grieve properly. “Even when I leave you Johnny I’ll wait for you on the other side so you don’t have to cross alone” you smiled as he pressed a soft kiss to his lips before disappearing into your house.

The day johnny had been dreading had come you were ready to leave you had told him so as you were helping him into his orchards “I think I’m ready Johnny” you say as you put the fallen apples into a basket “I’m done fighting the inevitable I’ve had a wonderful experience seeing the world with you but it’s time for me to go” you gently cup Johnnys cheek and all he can do is focus on remembering your touch “you know what to do”.

Johnny couldn’t fight the few tears rolling down his cheeks as he helped you into the small boat watching as you sat across from him brilliant smile never leaving your face “you know I used it be such a logical thinker, everything had its place, everything was black and white, then when I got sick I started changing started learning a new way of living and I always wanted to pass that down to someone and I’m grateful it was you” you coo as you reach out to caress Johnnys cheek “The only lesson I have left is to show you what we're made of. Of ephemeral starlight. We're but a few particles of thought on the vast stream of consciousness” you sigh happily as you lean forward pulling Johnny into a soft kiss wrapping him up in your arms “I love you Johnny and I’ll be waiting” with that he watched as you burst into a ball of light taking your place amongst the stars next to his beloved Ghost.

Years passed Johnny lost track of how many souls he’d helped pass on but now his time was up it was his turn to crossover and he knew that you and Ghost would be waiting for him with open arms and happy smiles.

[attenaeus]

⫾ 📌 INTRODUCTION

—○ Hello to writeblr! After taking some time off from writing after graduating from high school, I've found myself getting back into writing and wanting a place to post it. So, here we are!

○ I'm Atlas, or Atte if you like. I'm 19, he/they/it pronouns and am from Australia. I've lived in Singapore and travelled a fair bit, but home will always be Aus.

⫾ ABOUT

○ I am a second year archaeology student! My main interests are in Egyptian, Greek, and Australian archaeology.

○ I am autistic, have tourette's syndrome, and a dissociative disorder. A lot of my writing is about externalising my experiences with them.

○ Absolutely love to game, dogshit at gaming. Prefer casual games overall, but favourites include Pokemon (all of them.), Celeste, Monster Camp, Spiritfarer, the Sims, and Stardew Valley.

○ I am a gay trans man, currently pre-transition but aiming to start medically transitioning by the end of the year.

—○ Writing wise; ○ Really into classic lit, especially classic gothic literature. Aim to borrow elements of classic gothic lit into my own work ○ Big fan of short stories and "poem like" writing, really like just babbling into a document and then going from there. ○ Epic fantasy reader, one day want to write an epic fantasy series (I just really love world building) ○ Writing often draws from personal experiences with disability. Aiming to write inclusive works that provide accurate and good representation. —○ Favourite books; ○ The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern ○ The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern ○ Chorus of Dragons Series by Jenn Lyons ○ Dracula by Bram Stoker ○ Riordanverse [Childhood favourite, will never get old]

writing and wips below! ⇣

⫾ WIPS

—○ Unnamed Gothic Fantasy 🌊

This one is very early stages, more will be added once there is more to be said. It will be a gothic inspired fantasy with a focus on world building, currently playing with sirens and mermaids.

—○ Burning Spine [Working Title] ○ #ATNTS

Short story about my experiences with Tourette's Syndrome. First draft is nearly complete!

[mushroom-madness]

Welcome, to Mushroom Madness!

The competition to find the funkiest fungi, the most magnificent mush, the duke of decomposers.

Nominate your mushies HERE!

Rules of Submission:

The classic: no real people/ mushrooms. This is a poll about mushroom-based characters, not real species of mushroom. I will take propaganda style asks regarding real life mushroom species, to share the love and knowledge, but they will not be included in the bracket.

Multiple submissions are allowed, but please submit each character only once.

Limit 2 characters per franchise will be included in the bracket, but you can submit as many characters from a franchise as you wish

Examples: Moonshine Cybin (Not Another DnD Podcast), Toad (Mario), Stanley (Spiritfarer), Todd from Mario (Drawfee), Apothecary Gary (Amphibia), Danielle Barkstock (Dimension 20) [NOTE: These characters are NOT GUARANTEED in, please submit them if you want them included. They are just my personal picks so they have one vote by default, and I’ve included them here to give an idea of what kind of characters this bracket is for)

Submissions will close April 5th, or when I have significant (Currently estimated 3+) submissions for 64 unique characters to fill the bracket. Whichever comes first.

Poll will be seeded randomly. Currently no plans for any revival brackets. The mush are decomposers, death is part of their natural cycle.

A list of characters already submitted and qualified can be found HERE. Please keep submitting characters even if they’re already on this list!

LET THE FUNKY FUNGI MUSHROOM MASH BEGIN!

Inspired by @plural-swag-competition @best-bird-bash @autismswagsummit @best-d20-character @beefy-babe-showdown @ultimate-rat-bracket @canonautismclash @selfindulgentcompetition and obvs many more

[dreamsinombre]

Just a quick end of the year love letter to two old and new favorite dyers, since I recently got more yarns from them:

Ex Libris Fibers!! I saw the Atwood base and immediately was struck by heady visions of a striped sweater. All that's missing is the wayward Morrigan (I'll get them in good time). (This also doesn't include the sweater quantities I've gotten from Rita before, like the Stale Patchouli+Drawing Blood/Early Grave combo from her Fin de Siècle collection, or Varney the Vampire, or the previous ones (Leviathan and Antiquarian) I've gotten from years ago—needless to say, big and longtime fan.

Nerdy Knits Yarn!! I quickly have come to absolutely adore her yarns and absolutely HAD to get sweater quantities for some Night in the Woods-inspired yarns (this doesn't include the OOAKs and marled Spiritfarer, Stray, and Ganondorf colors I got which may also all end up becoming sweaters lmao). I also can't stop thinking about her whole Gris collection and have visions of a fingering+mohair design, but I want to solidify that more in my head before I leap (I might leap first anyway, knowing me).

Anyway, I love all these yarns and the people behind them are just wonderful human beings whom I appreciate being able to not only support but get to know! I just wanted to show some appreciation and love because they deserve it 💜💜

ps - I love a whole lot more dyers than just these two, but I just got the Atwood colors in today and recently got more Witchdagger, and realized I have been super remiss in sharing the wonderful yarns I've been getting to work with, so I decided to start with these

[rekikiri]

For the reading ask game

7 and 10!

hi mundane!! <3 thanks for the ask :))

7. tell me about the last thing you actually finished reading?

so if we count actual books, I’ll include the carry on series as a whole! I really enjoyed the books even though ‘wayward son’ and ‘any way the wind blows’ were very different from ‘carry on’. I enjoyed ‘carry on’ more now than I did when I first read it though. I like the way it dealt with simon’s mental health struggles and his relationship with baz even tho I wanted to bonk him upside the head a lot while he was making stupid decisions haha

10. tell me about your top (any number you want) favorite books?

oooh okay so I’m going to list the top ones that come to mind. I just know that I’m going to end up leaving off a book I LOVE and then ill feel like a moron but here’s the first that come to mind <3

the diviners by libba bray (series)

- one of my all time favorite series. I love the characters, the world (its set in New York City in the 1920s but with magical elements). Also has sooo much more representation than I anticipated going in! One of the few books I remember having legit asexual rep that I have read. It is lovely and I wish more people read it. (I don’t think I’ve ever cried as much from a book as I do when I reread the last book in this series. Don’t let that deter you!! It has a happy ending) has one of my favorite book boyfriends here

all for the game by nora sakavic (series)

- if you follow me or see me ever, this should not be a surprise whatsoever haha

the hunger games by suzanne collins (series)

- I read this series 12-13 years ago and it is one I reread still (most recent reread was dec 2023)

three dark crowns by kendare blake (series)

- love the sibling dynamics and the magic system is so interesting??? One of my favorite book boyfriends of all time is in this series

a far wilder magic by Allison saft

- very great book, has one of my other favorite book boyfriends. It’s kinda inspired by fullmetal alchemist in terms of the world aspects and the relationship gives me major mustang/hawkeye vibes

the raven cycle by Maggie stiefvater

- very popular series and I love the characters so much. they are just so special to me

under the whispering door by tj Kline

- the most recent read that I am putting here. I haven’t decided if this is necessarily a “favorite” but I read this book because Spiritfarer is one of my all time favorite video games and this has a similar concept. I couldn’t put it down and it made me cry like a baby but I really enjoyed reading it

percy jackson - rick riordan (series)

- I think the size of the fandom speaks for itself here lmao but its one of my favorite series I read last year

solitaire and radio silence by alice oseman

- separate books but I’m listing them together because same author. I LOVED these because of the friend dynamics (also aled is demi like me, which is a big thing that got me to read RS and I’m so glad I did)

six of crows - leigh bardugo (series)

- popular series, love the characters so much haha

***

I probably missed some great books but if you’re looking for recs!! these are some good ones to start with!!

[bitebackbaby]

“to walk the gale” & “and the universe said” for the fic ask :)

ooooh, heck yeah!! let’s start with “to walk the gale” – this is a long fic that ive hinted at before, because it’s my ‘fox as krell’s commander’ fic!! fox, my beloved… you deserve the world! and by that i mean i must break you.

in this fic, fox is assigned as general krell’s commander and basically goes from “okay, i can make this work” to “This Will Work (loads blaster)” in the first three months lol. this one has a heck of a lot of whump, given the subject matter, but it will be counteracted by the comfort that is to come :’)

this fic is set to be ten chapters long!! here’s a quick snippet! :)

“I think he’s trying to kill us,” Parasite says grimly.

Fox grunts, pressing a hand against the wound on his side. “He’s a natborn. What else is new?”

Parasite swallows, looks away. He drags out the medkit, begins sorting through their meager supplies. There’s a hint of frustration in his eyes, and Fox doesn’t blame him. Parasite wasn’t trained in more than basic CPR, just like the rest of the basic troopers, but he’s kind and giving and has a warm bedside manner, so with all the medics… gone, he’s the best they’ve got.

But it’s not fair. And Parasite is right to be angry.

Fox just can’t bring himself to think about it too deeply, not yet.

He knows what he’ll find, in those murky depths – and it’s nothing good.

title (& chapter titles) comes from this quote from the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett; “All witches are selfish, the Queen had said. But Tiffany’s Third Thoughts said: Then turn selfishness into a weapon! Make all things yours! Make other lives and dreams and hopes yours! Protect them! Save them! Bring them into the sheepfold! Walk the gale for them! Keep away the wolf! My dreams! My brother! My family! My land! My world! How dare you try to take these things, because they are mine!

I have a duty!”

NOW!! “and the universe said” is far more au than most of my wips, as it takes place in a different reality entirely. well… kinda.

have you ever played the game Spiritfarer? boom. there it is. (if you haven’t, i seriously recommend it!!) but to go into a bit more detail; in this au, fox acts as a guide for lost souls who need to pass on to the afterlife. they are all the spirits of people that he once knew when they were alive, and they all have something different to teach him. as fox slowly walks them through the path to acceptance and moving on, he learns a bit more about himself too. :)

obviously, this is a story that deals heavily with death & grief, but much like the game that inspired it, my hope is that this story will bring more comfort than hurt <3

this wip is set to be twelve chapters long. here’s a quick snippet! :)

Fox opens his eyes slowly. Above him, the ceiling is swaying in time with the waves, his hammock rocking gently back and forth.

On his nightstand, the Guiding Light is glowing softly, an ever-present warmth that draws him in like a flower reaching for the sun, and he carefully picks it up, cradling it between his hands.

“Good morning,” he murmurs, and presses his forehead to the Light for a brief moment, before pulling away.

He can hear the sound of footsteps out on the deck. Seems like one of his passengers is awake already.

“Time to report for duty,” Fox mutters to himself, a lopsided grin tugging at his lips. He throws his legs and over the side of the hammock and jumps down.

With the Guiding Light strapped to his belt, Fox prepares for another day.

title (&chapter titles) come from the minecraft end poem ;)

[huny-bun]

SolarPunk Clothes --- Pt1 Overall

As discussed in this post between @punkofsunshine and @wereallassbutts I think Solarpunk has great praxis and a blooming theory thats ever evolving, and we have art pieces that speak of the beauty of it.

But ultimately I think having a basis for Clothing Aesthetics to really drive what people could do or wear to help single one another is a great idea and I think very helpful when thinking about what kind if stuff we should use to show off beauty in textiles when art is allowed to bloom and be inspired by culture and the nature around us. Particularly with its ties back into community but also its utility for everyday work like gardening or working in. This is why I think it should be a Pirate, loose fitted, natural fibers, with a bold colour pallet would suit it so well. Example of what Im talking about is with SpiritFarer.

The colors, form, and stylization within this game screams Solarpunk to me. I think Id want to touch on each of these separately but for now I wanted to get this and a few other examples that I think would be great to use as well to incorporate some community building but also expansion into more inclusive types of fashion.

For example I also think having ear jewellery be a big part of it and my fave concept hearing aid jewellery. This could also be elf ears, metal work, or gems. The ones in these photos and from this website, are actually ones designed for hearing aids. Its simple to start but its a good start considering how little there is about the fashion side of things rather than hiding hearing aids. Or I'd love to use the loose fabrics as also an excuse to focus on fashion for people who need mobility aids //bring canes back as a fashion you cowards//, but also in particular for people who use wheelchairs since there is next to no fashion pieces that focus on comfort, silhouette, and function while being aesthetically pleasing to the wearers fashion choices.

Credit: wheelingalong24.com

Leading back into the pirate aes, I think things like bandanas and hats could also be a good trade mark and DIY activity. Lush even makes these recycled clothes from excess returned bottles.

TLDR: I think solar punk should be solar pirates taking from things like SpiritFarer and even Stardust. I think it should be inclusive from its core, and I think the fabrics for it should be incorporated to climate and threw DIY first. Id love to hear other peoples ideas of course this is just my opinion and it is just out of inspiration but I will go into more depth with Silhouette, textiles, making, and building a DIY culture around this concept separately since it is a lot even giving the basic ideas about it here.

[exsanguinated-doves]

Mix It Up Monday

For @onlycodcanjudgeme 's Monday Prompt!

While we aren't one to be immersed in several different fandoms at once, we do take content through bite-sized pieces. We're mostly excitable about games with very niche fandoms and media that you wouldn't really think has a fandom. Each description of a fandom is different, so we just like to boil it down to a word which means, a space for people to share the same "interest".

So here are the things we found interesting and wish to delve in more and consume their content:

Inscryption: This one is quite recent. We had been intrigued by it because of enscrypted, which was a fanmade game on Roblox which supported a multiplayer pvp with the cards from Inscryption. But it was horribly unbalanced and not quite satisfying to play. We bought Inscryption two weeks ago and became completely hooked on it. The lore is extensive, and MatPat hasn't brushed on it a lot. It's a stellar, fantastic rougelike deckbuilder game which we absolutely adore.

Spiritfarer: We just bought this game yesterday and we fell in love with it at first sight. It's charming, the animations are fluid and wickedly smooth, the dialogue is impressive and well-thought of, and just pulls the right heartstrings. Wish we had bought the art book too, because the art in this game is extraordinary.

The Long Dark: This game is a large inspiration for the survival mechanics of our project. We had watched the series from StacyPlays eight years ago, a youtuber who has 69 videos under her belt about the game. Such a wonderful game which was also available for mac, which was great, because we're on a mac.

[lockejhaven]

↪ 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗

Yep, it’s that time! I’m (re)introducing myself, yet again!

»»—————————-　𓆩❤︎𓆪　—————————-««

So hi! I’m Locke! ➺ I’m a 21 y/o rising senior in college, majoring in psychology ➺ I’ve been writing for nearly eight years now, and after all that time, I actually have some idea of what I want to do with my work ➺ When I’m not writing, I draw, play video games, read, cross stitch, bullet journal, and dabble in photography during my free time ➺ Some of my favorite games are Minecraft, Stardew Valley, Coral Island, Guild Wars 2, Spiritfarer, and The Evil Within

❝ worlds are burning, my child. gods alone cannot suffocate the flames.

My Writing ➺ My work probably fits quite loosely under fantasy, but I often dip into all sorts of genres, including but not limited to poetry, steampunk, dystopian, science fiction, supernatural, and more ➺ I’m polyamorous. My characters are polyamorous. Relationship webs are complicated and I love them dearly. ➺ I have quite a few WIPs on the backburner due to my rather chaotic writing style, with only one being a finished first draft. I adore them all and I can’t yet bear to part with any of them, so you’ll probably see some ‘new’ wip snippet pop up occasionally ➺ Lore and worldbuilding makes up most of my word count and takes up most of my time; it’s the most consistent thing I do! ➺ That said, it’s also my current focus, so expect a lot more of it!

 my works // world anvil // north haven discord // pinterest

WIP // Fable

➺ My tale is an old one. That much should be quite clear. It is not, however, as it has been told... For in a memory as old as mine, there is a truth worth seeking; a light worth following. Perhaps in the candor of my tale, others will find the necessary inspiration to continue on toward their own light.

Summary

A fairytale retelling in the form of a journal come to life. Written by Myhren, or ‘Merlin’ as they may be better known, Fable contains lifetimes of experiences and the truth behind the fairytales we all know and love.

Fable mainly focuses on the stories of King Arthur, Camelot, Merlin, and associated characters. It is written from Myhren’s point of view, with some discrepancies due to the nature of their immortal life and their experience within a time loop. Entries are not all seemingly in order. Instead, the writings follow Myhren’s stream of consciousness.

Status This is an ongoing, very long term WIP of mine. I’ve written some pieces, and brainstormed others. I’ll be releasing new entries as I complete them. Phase: It’s complicated.

wip page / cast page / character intro 

WIP // The Minutemage Compendium

➺ The MinuteMage Compendium is a browser-based RPG concept presented in an old-school rpg field guide format. Explore the world of Iane and discover its secrets!

Summary

A clock is ticking in the mist and fog; people have begun to vanish right off the streets, and dark knowledge is kept from the common folk. Thrust into an unknown world, it is up to you to bring corruption to light and save the clockwork city of Iane. Can you find the Minutemage Coin and open the doors before it's too late?

Status Phase: Brainstorming. I’ll be designing items, NPCs, locations, creatures, enemies, and more. Eventually, I plan on making it into a physical guide and an RPG!

WIP // A Ghost, a Quill, and a Mockingbird

➺ Something in her remembers her past; a part of her that stands tall in the face of another's rage. Mountainous strength, hidden within a mouse. Confidence born of past instinct, of power, of creation and abandonment; Yet her conscious betrays none of it. Her spite does nothing to reveal what she had been so desperate to forget; what her rage continues to remember, impressively extreme for such tame, conscious memory.

Summary

Ghost has lived her entire life in an underground bunker on the planet Serus. The last of her kind after a swarm of vitians invaded her world and slaughtered her people, she spends her days in blissful spite where the vitians are unable to reach her. It's not in any way peaceful, of course, to hear the screaming from outside the bunker, but as long as she has her music and drink to keep her company, she figures she'll be able to live a nice, conflict free life. That is, until her simple day-to-day life becomes a bit more interesting; a little more chaotic. Her god has returned, and he's not at all what she expected, nor does he seem all that keen on leaving her alone.

Status I’m proud to say that GQM, while my eighth existing wip, is the first to have a completed first draft! Phase: Paused. While I take a step back and move onto other things before revising, adding, and rewriting!

wip page / wip intro

OTHER WIPS // The Back-burner

➺ A list of WIPs I love very much and that have been set aside

It is worth noting that I tend to write a lot of standalone vignettes that don’t pertain to specific stories, as well as a lot of poetry that I like to call my ‘spout of bullshit’

Arcane // world anvil // tag Alchemist // floating idea // tag The Demon’s Eyes // world anvil // tag Encounters of the Primal Sort // world anvil // tag Faefinder // brainstorming phase // tag Twisted Tales of Myth ➺ Ellyse of Wonderspire // world anvil // tag ➺ Servant to Dragon and King // floating idea // tag Wane of the Lunar Human // floating idea // tag

vignettes // poetry // playlists // moodboards // characters

[state-of-divinity]

Hello! I am seeking beta readers for my 40k middle grade fantasy inspired by Norse mythology, Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away, and the indie video game Spiritfarer. If that sounds like something you'd enjoy reading, here's the full pitch: Eleven-year-old Poppy Forsberg-Rivers knows there is more to this world than meets the eye. After all, her grandmother can see ghosts and speak to trees. But Poppy would trade all the secrets of the universe for her grandmother's illness to be cured. Then one night, Poppy is visited by the ghosts that haunt her grandmother's property. Realizing this may be her only chance to uncover the secrets for herself, she listens to the trees and follows the ghosts into a mysteriously appearing forest. There, she meets Sage, a quirky yet charming boy who can't seem to remember how he wound up in this strange place. Together, they drink tea with spirits, deliver medicine to a sickly dragon, and endure hard labor working at a spa run by the cantankerous proprietor. As the two quickly become friends, Sage reveals a secret about himself that turns Poppy's entire world upside down and forces her to face the grief she has been avoiding. I would especially like beta readers that are fluent (or at least above a beginner level) in Norwegian, as there are some Norwegian phrases used that I would like someone familiar with the language to verify as authentic. If you do not know Norwegian, that's okay, too! Please either leave a comment or message me directly if you are interested. If you do not want to read the entire manuscript, let me know and I will send along a partial (likely the first five chapters). I will include more details to everyone who is interested. Thank you!

[emo-eyemakeup-evildude]

wait tell me about ur astor fics 👀

W E L L

one of my first fics (very, very heavily inspired by Exile//Vilify) is from the point of view of an original character who lives and works in the castle and gets to know Astor when he was first appointed as Royal Seer up until he's exiled. there are three different versions with three different OCs because I cannot make decisions. there's two versions where the OC is a naturalist and one where the OC is a musician in the royal orchestra because I have exactly two personality traits and even in a fictional universe with literal magic I can’t imagine anyone other than a naturalist or a musician

my next fic is an extension of the first scene I ever wrote (most definitely not smut nope of course not) with an OC who seeks assylum with the Yiga Clan because king rhoam is a bad king and ends up getting close to Astor while he's preparing for the Calamity and explores life in the hideout as well as Astor slowly losing his shit, and again there are three different versions with three different OCs I have a problem help

in one of those versions Astor manages to wrest control from Ganon and actually successfully take over Hyrule and has to do ~diplomacy~ and win over the other leaders in Hyrule with the help of the OC because he’s literally just Some Dude and never would have thought of that himself. in another the OC doesn't come into the picture until after the Calamity when the Yiga put out a call for young, eligible Hylians to come to the castle to rebuild the court/find a spouse to help Astor rule because he's useless and Sooga and Kohga have zero interest of helping him rule. and I have a problem and its name is "arranged marriage but make the stakes ruling an entire kingdom" 

and in the most recent fic I started (the not yarn cult fic) is about a seer cult that lives in a manor located at the ruins in southwest Central Hyrule in botw loosely based on my partner's former frat house because it was a beautiful, huge old house in the historic neighborhood I grew up in and I’m also obsessed with the random house ruins in botw

also I've been very sporadically working on a Spiritfarer crossover with Astor, Zelda, and Link as problem spirits because none of them are technically dead since Astor got absorbed and Zelda also kind of got absorbed and Link was in the Shrine of Resurrection

[shiningviatrix]

NAME:   Bo, or Boo. I've gone by both ^^

STAR SIGN:     Taurus :3

HEIGHT:   5′7

MIDDLE NAME?     Marie, though hoping to change it soon.

PUT YOUR SPOTIFY ON SHUFFLE. FIRST 6 SONGS?   (i used my Likes list on Spotify for this since I have multiple playlists)

Once Upon a December - Pentatonix cover

Everglow - Starset

Song of Growth - Spiritfarer Soundtrack

Light - Sleeping At Last

Fire to Smoke - Tiscore, Tiffany Aris

Tongues & Teeth - The Crane Wives

EVER HAD A POEM / SONG WRITTEN ABOUT YOU?      Not that I can remember

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU PLAYED AIR GUITAR?    I don't think I've ever played air guitar to be honest

WHO IS YOUR CELEBRITY CRUSH?       I don't really have one, though Matt Mercer is definitely an inspiration.

WHAT’S A SOUND YOU HATE & A SOUND YOU LOVE?     I hate most generic alarm sounds, like fire alarms, but I love the sound of rain and my cat purring ^^

DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS?   Yep

HOW ABOUT ALIENS?   Also yep

DO YOU DRIVE?      Yeah, I have to for work, school, and family. 

IF SO, HAVE YOU EVER CRASHED?     Not while I’ve been driving but I’ve been in a car crash once before when I was much younger 

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ?     Space Struck by Paige Lewis, a poetry book for one of my classes :3

DO YOU LIKE THE SMELL OF GASOLINE?     Do not at all

WHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU SAW?     Pretty sure it was Pride and Prejudice (2014 version)

WHAT’S THE WORST INJURY YOU’VE EVER HAD?     My back and knees are pretty messed up from martial arts, so probably those if that counts. Otherwise...I am not sure, though I did have a petrified wooden clock drop on the outer corner of my right eye and somehow not take out my eye in the process.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OBSESSIONS RIGHT NOW?     Genshin lmao

DO YOU TEND TO HOLD GRUDGES?   Sort of? It really depends on the context of a situation for me to hold a grudge, but I try not to since I know I'll just overthink it and be more miserable if I do hold a grudge.

IN A RELATIONSHIP?   Nah

TAGGED    i stole it from @risingsol :3

TAGGING   if you haven’t done this yet... consider yourself tagged!

[nigiyakapepper]

i might get ridiculed for this post but i want to put it out there anyway hoping there’s people who feel the same as i do

(spoilers & “reading the back cover” talk for Hades, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, Say No More, Everhood, Spiritfarer, Oneshot & Castlevania)

by all means, i would love for Toby to be able to create the story he wants to and get it out there. i admittedly don’t play a lot of games. i've played undertale & deltarune. i'm amazed that barely a week has passed and a lot of people have wildly different but all valid takeaways from various decisions that this game took to be what it is.

i've read how kris’ panic attack after the spamtron neo fight is because it’s put their feelings about us/the player controlling them into terrifying perspective. i've read how each dark world might be a manifestation of each character’s struggle & insight as to how they’ll overcome it. i’ve read a lot about how undertale & deltarune are brilliant subversions of various things we’ve come to accept in video games, about a game character’s agency & the consequences of our choices as players.

these games have a story to tell, i know. these kinds of stories have a right to be told, have a place to be told, i know. they've inspired people in various, life-changing ways, they’ve made us think. and think and think. how we approach video games, how we approach storytelling, i know. Toby for sure wants to tell a story in a way he can be more than satisfied with, i get that, i really do.

but, i'm old. i’ve witnessed media i love crash & burn because of executive meddling, behind the scenes problems we aren’t privy to, because …i dunno, producers were angry? annoyed? that fans could predict what happens (as decent storytelling would be able to let you) and decided to what, shoot themselves in the foot to one-up them? i've seen stories that choose grittier, darker endings become so forgotten, scorned even, while stories so bloody, gory & seemingly tragic to give happy endings for every. single. person. and that payoff felt incredible.

tl;dr, while (badly succinctly put) commentary on video games, character agency, player’s choices is good, i want to be able to help these people we’ve come to know and love.

these are sad games. lonely games. at 23 years old, i wanted nothing more than to let Asriel’s parents know they could talk to their son one last time. at 26, i wanted to help Kris & anyone else that have found themselves caught up in all this. at 29, i'm wondering if they’re having fun, that even if Kris is in a difficult situation, i'm helping them have fun at least.

i don’t want to be blamed for having been forced into having to make choices. i think it’s why players are generally encouraged to make good ones (unless we’re hunting for story/lore which is fine. it’s valid.) at the end of the day, it’s a video game. but that’s the thing, right? by nature, video games are meant to be played & if we’re heading toward some…moral lecture-y type of realization that the people in games we’re playing are better off without us being able to fuck them over by having been presented with a choice to be a dick, then…that sucks.

it's like that post about laminating tissue paper…vaguely. the tissue paper lasts, but is useless because you can’t use it as a tissue paper—BUT I’M DIGRESSING

look

the brilliance in the story of Hades is that you, as the player, have been given the feeling of having helped fix things, bringing lovers together, easing an eternal damnation, helping Hades be a little bit happier by encouraging Persephone to return home.

the payoffs of Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, Say No More & Everhood are, well they’re fun in their own ways. there's a portion of them that’s serious, that are conversations that you need to have (i.e. Say No More & boundaries, Everhood & their take on Buddhism that isn’t cheesed to hell & back like other more typical ways religious themes appear in games) BUT the way these games resolve makes you feel good. Satisfied. that you had fun playing the fun video game.

(i haven’t finished playing Spiritfarer yet but i know that game will gut me. it’s the nicest way of engaging w a life lived & coming to terms with Death i've seen portrayed any media.)

the gargantuan emotional payoff in Oneshot is you, as the player, quite literally helps a child that is stuck in a video game world RETURN HOME. i'm not going to spoil what Niko does but he gets to go home. WE THE PLAYER HELP HIM GET HOME.

all this talk of going “does anything even matter anymore” after finding out you are trapped in a video game neatly addressed with other characters explicitly saying “well, didn’t you have fun with people here? didn't they make choices that the code couldn’t predict? isn’t having had fun w people you met here worth saving their world anyway?” and succeeding. WE HELP SAVE THE WORLD AND GET THE PROTAG HOME.

whatever story Toby chooses to tell, i hope…i dunno, that it’s not just commentary? with how his worlds are, i hope that we, as the player, aren’t just…accuse first, prove innocence second? Like, I WANT TO HELP. let the lore hunters & dataminers & “i will immediately play dark routes next” do their thing. it's a valid thing to do! by nature of programming in a choice, there is the expectation of people venturing down that choice, as dark as it can get. you want people to see what you put in a thing or else there’s no reason to put it! (most of the time.)

but i want a happy ending. for everyone. because i'm playing this medium – these video games – i as a player want to help brings those happy endings about.

it's free to hope, i know. people need sad, dark, lonely stories, i know. but god, i'm tired. i want to be able to help get these kids, all these people to their happy endings. Please, Toby.

i’m not complaining about undertale or deltarune. all i’m saying is what is my point as the person who plays the video game if i can’t help these people get to have good & happy lives after all they’ve been through.

we’re doing that, i know. WE’RE TRYING TO. to some extent we’ve done that. but we left two dead kids in undertale. you can’t tell me we can’t find a way to give them happy endings to. alive, even. with their parents & friends. heck, if Castlevania was able to give EVERYONE a happy ending after everything, what on earth is stopping other media from doing the same thing.

Please.

[lovely-necromancy]

A Cure for Insomnia CH.12

It's late Friday night or very early Saturday morning depending on how you want to look at it. You're just laying on your couch playing Stardew Valley when your phone goes off. Without looking you answer it.

“Why are you even up?” comes Kirby's exhausted voice from across the line.

“Medical condition, wbu?” you place the phone in between you ear and shoulder but don't really change your position as you continue with your game.

“Jesus fucking Christ you did not just pronounce 'wbu' like 'wah-bah-u'.” he's ranting a bit and you know from experience this is the tired slap happy ranting where he sets himself off every five minutes on new topics. So, you wait it out and continue your quest in learning the wizard's secrets.

Kirby finally calms down after a few moments to get to the point of why he called. To remind you that Saturday Night Dead was canceled tonight due to the Pride Picnic tomorrow.

“I know.” you said plainly barely paying attention to the ginger on the line.

“You're a little shit.”

“I know that too.” a smirk graces your lips and you pause your game.

You listen to Kirby's rant for three minutes before asking if anyone else still “needed” a reminder. And when he said 'no' you sent him off to bed and said you'd see him Sunday morning. With a cranky man toddler dealt with you went back to your game.

Contrary to what you had originally thought, this week had been pretty chill. Everything had been going great, no drama in the town, no set backs with the picnic, your stalker had been keeping a low profile, and sure you were on day three of no sleep but that's just a you issue really. You didn't even have a foreboding feeling about the picnic. Everything was going great...at least it would be had Jo not   specifically requested you wear something red, to her recital in a few weeks.

It's going to be so hard to thrift something school appropriate, red, and in your size. You thankfully have three weeks but unfortunately you're limited to weekend trips since you work during the week and wouldn't be able to go a few hours out to larger thrift stores to drive a few hours back home.

Your do nothing day is turning into a do something day. And you definitely can't get any sleep tonight because now you know you have something to do at five AM and you just wouldn't be able to rest peacefully at all. Scared that you'd fuck up the shopping trip you had planned. God you hate executive dysfunction and the anxiety it gives you, even for something like sleeping.

Thursday evening you spent all night googling the towns within a five hour radius and their second hand shops, after Jo had made her request to you. Your big ticket shops were two closer to the border of Pennsylvania. They were in pretty medium to high income neighborhoods so were the most likely to have formal wear on hand. Your plan was to drive there and get to the closer one by eight maybe get some breakfast while you waited for the shop to open. Then go to the second, and if you still hadn't met the requirements for an outfit you'd go to the town an hour away from there. Just to rinse and repeat until you went to all eight locations on your list. Making one big circle back to Kepler.

You really hoped you find something to wear at the first two. Seriously you don't want to be out shopping all day but you'd rather have a buffer of looking for things now than rushing the night before her recital.

Checking the time you see it's just a little after one in the morning. You've been playing Stardew for a few hours and are starting to get bored. Maybe you should switch games? Exiting out you ruin any progress you've made for the day, but you couldn't remember so it probably wasn't important progress. And you are now scrolling through your games looking for something to play.

Spiritfarer? No you don't feel like crying right now. Undertale? No you really don't feel like crying right now. Onion Boy Commits  Tax Evasion? Hmm, possible...but it's a quick game and you'd be done and back here in thirty minutes. Sally Face? Yea! You've been meaning to replay it for a while now and this seems as good a time as any.

Loading the game you settle deeper into the couch to become a teenage ghost detective. And you stay like that for the rest of the night until your alarm goes off mid way through chapter two. You'd been so focused on trying to get secrets that you hardly noticed the time going by. Okay, you were looking at Gizmo and taking pictures of the silly furball.

Stretching you get up and make your way to your room to grab a change of clothes, neck snapping to the side as you went. When you enter your room you're met with a white face with blocks of black for the eyes and black lipstick as its only facial features looking at you from the corner just feet away from the door. Even though your heart jumps into your throat at the sight you notice the figure doesn't get closer to you. Noting that and its immobility you figure it's a really weird and specific hallucination.

'Fucking weird?' you think as you ignore the hallucination and start rummaging through your closet.

It wouldn't be the first time a source of media has either triggered or inspired one of your hallucinations. But the face isn't exactly Sal's mask but it is mask like. Maybe Sal mixed with a panda. That's a fun thought. But overall nothing you need to worry about. Just have to get sleep tonight so you could enjoy the picnic tomorrow without any issues.

When you turn back around with your clothes in hand the hallucination is gone. You shrug before going to your bathroom to change. In a blink you are out the door and on the road by five after five. You hope you pass a Dunkin' in an hour or so, you'll need a little energy boost to get your day started. But pushing that thought aside you turn up your radio and turn off your thoughts.

Just vibes for right now, just you and the empty road.

Making it to the first thrift shop you are pleasantly surprised to see a string of old ladies shopping today. Wonderful, they'll look at knick knacks and you'll look at clothes. Looks like there won't be a need to guard clothing with your life. However when you get into the store it becomes incredibly apparent that the only thing to look at here are in fact the knick knacks.

Sighing you figure it'll at least be worth it to comb through skirts and shoes. Skirts are very limited to paisley prints that give you middle school dance flash backs, and long khakis. Neither are really what you're looking for right now so you leave them be. They'll find their homes with some home schooled kid eventually. Shoes are a bit more promising as you find a pair of red kitten pumps in your size immediately, they're a little worn but nothing a little shoe polish and leather paint can't fix.

That is until you think you see something grab at your wrist.

When you jerk back a shoe drops from your hand and the heel pops off. Again a very easy fix, plus this may get you a discount. Dropping to your knees you try to grab the heel from under the rack and when you do you notice a pair of boots that look like they've been hidden behind several pair of knee high riding boots. You grab them, they're reddish brown suede heeled boots. They're in pretty good condition and the price tag says thirteen, not bad. And they're in your size! Best find of the day, calling it now. You quickly collect your shoes and make your way to the register. While you may not wear the kitten pumps often you for sure have just found your new favorite boots.

Getting back in the car with one of three pieces for your outfit and one store down you make your way to the next town over for its store. The second store had a much wider selection of clothing however you didn't find much of anything this time. But there was a cute mini pencil skirt that had a tiny orange heart on the left side hem. You couldn't resist it when it was only two dollars.

Third times a charm or so they say. But as you're looking through the racks of dresses and skirts you start hearing whispers. Briefly looking up to see if anyone was actually around to where you'd be able to hear them you see no one. It's weird that you'd get auditory hallucinations without a visible one or without being asleep. That puts you on edge but you ignore the feeling to continue your shopping.

You've just turned to go have a look at the blazers when a voice pops into your head.

'He's here.' there's an edge of static following the words and the buzzing is enough to cloud your own thoughts.

Neck snapping to the side twice before cracking on the third time, “There we go” you say as you look around  only see families with kids in the store with you. No one is on their own or even looking your way.

'That you can see.'

Your heart is pounding harshly against your chest and while every fiber of your being is saying run. You can't it'd be obvious or it'd make you look like a whack job. So with a sharp intake of air you steady yourself and being to walk calmly to your car.

It's broad daylight and you would definitely be making a scene if your stalker tried anything. If anyone even came near you right now you'd probably scream in self preservation.

But it turns out you didn't need to worry as you got into your car, locking the doors without hassle. You didn't bother turning your radio on as you drove to the forth store. There wouldn't be a point not like you could focus with your nerves so frazzled. And that frazzled feeling doesn't go away as you arrive at the store.

Staying in the car a moment you wait to see if any other car near by seems familiar. Or any persons exiting seem familiar, like you've seen their faces in passing. No one does, and while that puts you at ease you'll still be vigilant of your surroundings.

The store's much smaller than the previous three and you decide to start with the blazer section this time. It seems like a good choice, even though it looked like a sea of black ¾ sleeve blazers and jackets you caught a glimpse of red from inside one coat. Pulling the hanger off you notice it isn't a richly colored lining but that someone shoved a red Chinese inspired silk skirt into the blazer. You aren't sure if they were judging the compatibility of the items as an outfit or if they were trying to hide it, but either way it's ended up in your hands. It's beautifully decorated in golden swirls and a dragon pattern embroidery. Putting it up to you it curls around your waist. Could mean it'd be a bit big for you, but nothing a little sewing couldn't fix.

You're pretty sure you had a black turtleneck tank top that would look great with this, and still be appropriate for hot late July weather. But maybe an additional red blazer or shawl would be a good idea. Looking at the sea of black before you you think it'd be best to continue this hunt another week.

Right now your nerves are fried and the sun is already starting to set. With thoughts of getting caught alone in the dark with your stalker you can't help but want to get home as soon as possible or at least get to a town where people would know you if your body showed up in a ditch.

Checking out with your skirt you once again find yourself in your car driving along the highway.

You get back to Kepler a little after nine, gas tank near empty so you drive on to the mini mart rather than stopping at home. You notice another car, which isn't strange for a gas station but very rare that more than two customers are here at the same time. Getting in to pay for gas you're stopped by Ronnie's pissed off voice.

“Leave Dave or I'll ban you from the shop!” she seems to seethe at the man in front of her.

“You don't have that kind of power Veronica.” gross it's David.

Whatever feeling of uncertainty you had before vanishes instantly at seeing the slime ball try to “flirt” with Ronnie. He continues to pester her and the two don't even register your entrance. Unfortunately for Ronnie she really can't do anything to stop these advances without getting in trouble. Fortunately for you, you have no such qualms.

“She said fuck off.” you push past the man shoulder checking him as you get to the counter to start talking with Ronnie.

David stumbles away not expecting the rough push. He glares down at you and you ignore him now that you're in a setting with another person. A person who has access to a silent emergency police button if things go sideways. You have back up this time and an escape plan, there's no way David can harm you right now.

“Hey, I'm gonna need thirty on pump four.” you said hoping you could just ignore the man and stall by talking about useless merchandise in the store to get him to leave. But that was before you're interrupted.

“Oh did someone grow a back bone while I was away?” you roll your eyes and pause before you lie.

“...anyway is Tim on break yet?” hoping she caught the look in your eyes to play along.

Tim was a new hire that David probably didn't know since he just got back into town. Easiest one to lie about and make excuses for why there wasn't a fourth car in the lot. The boys only seemed to have the RV and the sedan so perfectly reasonable that he got dropped off because one of his roommates needed the car.

The way Ronnie's eyes widen at you aren't out of relief but more out of realization. She shakes her head slightly, and you want to smack her for being an idiot and ruining your attempt to scare David off when she turns and yells towards the back.

“Hey Tim! You have a visitor!” you jump a bit at her volume and notice that David tenses by your side as well.

'...is she bluffing...' if she is this is the dumbest fucking bluff in the world and so easy to catch on to. You'll have to get her acquainted with true crime podcasts and shows so she can be better prepared in the future.

It isn't until you hear muffled swears and the sound of thudding from the back room of the store. It isn't long before the door to the back opens and you hear Tim's hushed voice speaking to Marigold for a second, “can you please not walk in front of me.”, and you see Tim walk through the door.

Tim's brown eyes scan the store clearly trying to find either Brian or Toby. His gaze barely passes over David but when it settles on your form leaning away from said creep and Ronnie shifting from one foot to the other the situation seems to click.

It was such a subtle change in his eyes, something you're sure that had you not been trying to catch his gaze to get your message across you would have missed. The way the highlight died before picking back up. It was probably just a trick of the over head lights, maybe he shifted a bit and it caused the light to hit differently. Something you could brush off...something you would have brushed off had you not heard a different voice speak when he opened his mouth.

“YN hey, did'ya need somethin'?” it was a notch lower than normal and somehow the tone was smoother than his usual rumble. For a moment you think he put on a voice for bravado.

Something inside tells you that's not Tim. But right now you need someone who looks like Tim. Someone who despite their “short” stature has an obvious muscle mass to them. One that confidently says “authority” to scare off the creep next to you.

You wrack your brain for something anything to say that would seem normal in this situation while you could try to assert the discomfort of Ronnie and yourself in your current situation. Just as you go to speak David begins to talk over you as he greets the man in the room.

“Hey there, name's David. Nice to see a new face in this place, how long you been here?”

Tim slides his eyes away from you and back over to David. He seems to straighten out his posture and looks over you and Ronnie before staring back at David.

“A while, is there a problem up here?”

“Oh no 's nothing like that!” David says jovially as he wraps an arm around your shoulders. You jerk from the contact. “Just talking to these nice ladies.”

'Disgusting, disgusting, disgusting' plays over and over as you squirm out of his arm.

There's an emotion you can't quite place running through you as you heart rate picks up. You feel sick as if you can feel the bile rising to your throat. Are you having a panic attack? No that's not it you're too conscious and your thoughts aren't a jumbled mess. You're probably just over stimulated. You want to calm down.

'Do you' the whispered voice is back, 'Do you really?'

It's mocking you and the strange emotion from before spikes. Is this...is this rage? Are you so upset at being touched that you're experiencing genuine rage? One with such a burning passion that you can feel your body grow warm all over.

But what did the voice ask 'do you?' do you what? Do you want to calm down?

….no....

No you didn't you can feel it in your veins, in your bones, in your entire being. You didn't want to calm down you wanted to hurt David. You want to tear him to pieces. You wanted him to give you  a reason...any reason at all. Any reason to fucking destroy him.

You aren't entirely sure where these thoughts are coming from. Maybe you're just overstimulated, your  nerves fried from the weird feeling at the thrift shop today and then paired with someone you hated very much, touching you out of no where seemed to be your ultimate breaking point.

It's Tim who brings you out of your thoughts.

When did he get so close to you?

“I think you should leave. I know for a fact YN's boyfriend won't take kindly to you upsetting them like this.” he stresses the 'them' and it seems you've missed a few key points...like when the hell you got a boyfriend?

“Oh right, what's that scrawny kid gonna do twitch at me.” when did David start taking that tone with Tim and why was he talking about Toby? What did Toby have to do with this? How did David even know about Toby?

Seems David's taunt and knowledge of Toby unsettled Tim as well, if the hand on your shoulder gripping tightly had anything to say. Has that been there this whole time? When did he put it there?

“Trust me the kid's bite 's lot worse than his bark.” there's humor in Tim's voice as he says that but it's like an old joke no one else has context for.

'Fuckin' dick...is that suppose to be a joke about his mutilated mouth?' it really does sound like it. Maybe you're reading the clues wrong...maybe you heard Tim wrong.

Thankfully whatever the fuck is building up comes to an end when Pigeon walks through the doors. Oh she's on duty, Deputy Pigeon. She looks at the four of you and your positions. And although she has a pretty good idea what's happened from Ronnie's texts she can't help but ask.

“Al'ight, what's going on here?” it's clearly been a long day for her.

“Harassment. We've asked him to leave the store but he's refused and keeps bothering our customer and us.” Tim's fast response had you and Ronnie stumped.

Did a white cis male actually come to the aid of two decidedly not male people...instead of the other white cis male? Has Hell frozen over?

It's like he knew just what to say to the officer. And he didn't try to tiptoe around it to save the other man. Tim clearly didn't want this dragging out any longer than it already has. Even David himself seems a bit taken aback by Tim's, accurate, claims. Meanwhile Pigeon looks around the room and sighs. While she knows her younger sister wouldn't have texted if this wasn't serious she was the only one on duty tonight and would only be able to take the other three's statements.

“Al'ight I'll grab y'all's statements starting with you Nychn c'mon.” the tired looking woman took David outside so he could tell his side of the story. But even with two against one he'll probably end up getting a ban from the store. Especially since he did harass a customer and not just an employee.

After getting his statement and watching him drive off from the establishment Pigeon returned back inside.

“I swear tha' boy's head has never been on right.” shaking her head.

Pigeon asked for both your and Tim's sides of the story taking you a little ways away from each other  to “prevent compromising the other's story”.

“So... looks like I've got everything, I'll have the station call Monty in the mornin' and let 'im know that he's got a new ban.”

“What about Ronnie's statement?” Tim asks as Pigeon put away her pocket pal.

“Oh Tim, Pigeon's my sister.” it's the first time Ronnie's said something since calling for Tim.

At least you think it is after all you did have a little spell after being touched.

Tim nods and Pigeon heads off after warning the three of you to stay out of trouble. Now with just the three of you in the shop you turn to Tim.

“Thanks for the save Tim.” He just nods again.

“No problem, but you really should'a said somethin' sooner.”

“I don't know what happened I like blanked and forgot you went on break before he came in.” Ronnie pipes up looking flustered.

Weird. You've noticed that does tend to happen when David's around. Maybe you should look into memory stealers. Might be why David's vibes are all off. That or he's a fucking serial killer and your instincts are trying to warn you but there are so many red flags your brain glitches instead. Whatever the reason may be you'll have to keep your guard up when he's around. It's super sketchy he left when Bambi went missing and it's a strange time to come back to town after “helping” your sister after her divorce. Two months isn't enough time to find a new routine or settle court battles.

Tim leaves to clock in and continue his break for another twenty minutes. You aren't sure that's right but Ronnie doesn't seem to complain and you've got to admit he did save you guys from that creep unpaid so he kinda deserves it. You go to pay Ronnie for gas and for some of the frozen taquitos that they normally have on the rotation cooker. But she puts thirty dollars on your pump and then just hands you a pack of the taquitos.

“Thanks for...y'know.” she might be a bitch but Ronnie can be nice if the situation calls for it.

Plus you can see by the expiration date that she'd have to just toss these out at the end of the night anyway. Who are you to turn down free food?

You head home and take your clothes and taquitos inside. You toss the clothes in an arm chair in your living room. And fall asleep on your couch shortly after eating. You are thoroughly exhausted and you had actually been tired last night. Had it not been for errands you'd have slept last night. Now you definitely have to sleep early to wake up early to finish cooking for the picnic.